Annuities typically serve the useful function of providing economic protection against the risk of longevity, in that an annuitant has the option of electing a life-contingent retirement income, thereby transferring the risk of outliving one's accumulated assets to an insurer.
A number of different kinds of annuities are available to meet the diverse needs of different individuals. These include deferred annuities and immediate annuities. In a deferred annuity, an individual is typically still in the “accumulation phase” of the annuity, amassing assets intended to sustain him or her during retirement years, when an earned wage from performing work is absent. In an immediate annuity, a lump sum of money is applied to purchase a series of retirement income benefit payments, with the first payment typically being made about one month after purchase, with subsequent benefit payments arriving each month thereafter.
The length of the term of the retirement income benefit payments is determined by the annuity benefit option elected by the annuitant. One type of annuity benefit option can provide lifetime income for the annuitant, regardless of how long he or she survives. Another type provides a similar benefit, but covers two lives, typically the annuitant and spouse.
Various types of additional guarantees can be attached to these life-contingent annuity benefit options. These include an option that guarantees the insurer will make at least a minimum number of monthly payments, typically 120 or 240. Another type of option guarantees that the insurer will pay out in benefits at least as much value as was applied to purchase the annuity. Increasing the guarantees typically has the effect of reducing the amount of the annuity benefit payments.
Non-life-contingent annuity benefit options are also available. For example, an annuity benefit that makes monthly payments for a specified period of time, such as thirty years, and then terminates is available.
Another distinction of the type of annuities available is whether it is classified as a “fixed annuity” or a “variable annuity.” In a fixed annuity, the insurer bears the investment risks. The insurer guarantees a rate of interest applicable to each annuity deposit. The guarantee applies for a specified period of time, often one year, and is then reset periodically, moving in an amount and a direction that correlates with fixed-income investment yields available to the insurer in the capital markets.
In a variable annuity, the annuity contract owner bears the investment risk during the accumulation phase of the annuity. The annuitant(s) bear(s) the investment risk during the distribution, or payout, phase of the variable annuity. The individual(s) (owner and/or annuitant, who can be the same person) controlling the variable annuity typically have a choice of funds in which they can direct that annuity deposits be invested. These funds typically each represent one asset class, such as large capitalization U.S. common stocks, corporate bonds, money market instruments, or international stocks.
In a fixed annuity, the account value during the accumulation phase can only increase with time. In a variable annuity, the account value during the accumulation phase can either increase or decrease with time, depending on the performance of the fund(s) in which the annuity contract owner has directed that deposits be invested. The hope and expectation, but not guarantee, is that investments in the riskier asset classes typically associated with a variable annuity will provide long-term accumulated values superior to those of a fixed annuity. As annuities are geared toward providing retirement income, there typically is a long-term holding period. The table and graph of FIG. 1 illustrate annuity contract values as a function of time for both variable and fixed annuities. The fixed annuity contract of FIG. 1 illustratively earns 5% annually.
In a fixed annuity, the dollar amount of each annuity benefit payment during the distribution phase is known with certainty at the time the account value is applied to the purchase of an annuity benefit option. The point in time where the accumulated value of the deferred annuity is exchanged for a promise by the insurer of a series of future retirement income benefit payments is termed “annuitization.” Fixed annuity benefit payments are typically level forever, such as $1,000 per month, or increase by a specified percentage, such as $1,000 per month, increasing by 3% each year. However, fixed annuity benefit payments are definitely determinable as to dollar amount at the point where the annuity contract owner elects the annuity benefit option from among his or her choices.
In a variable annuity, the dollar amount of each annuity benefit payment during the distribution phase is not known with certainty at the time the account value is applied to the purchase of an annuity benefit option. Rather, the annuitant(s) typically receive(s) the value of a specified number of annuity units each month. For example, if the annuitant is entitled to the value of 500 annuity units per month and the annuity unit value on the valuation date that determines the annuitant's benefit is $2.00, the annuitant receives an annuity benefit payment of $1,000 that month. If, on the next succeeding valuation date that determines the annuitant's benefit payment the annuity unit value is $2.05, the annuitant receives an annuity benefit payment of $1,025 that month. If the annuity unit value on the subsequent valuation date is $1.95, the annuitant receives $975 that month.
In contrast to fixed annuity benefit payments, variable annuity benefit payments are definitely determinable at the time of the annuity option election as to the number of annuity units that will determine the amount of the benefit payment on each future payment date. The variable annuity benefit payments are not definitely determinable as to dollar amount at the point where the annuity contract owner elects the annuity benefit option from among his or her choices.
For variable annuities, “accumulation units” are the measure of value during the accumulation phase. Each specific fund or “subaccount”, such as a domestic common stock fund, has an accumulation unit value that increases daily by realized and unrealized capital appreciation, dividends, and interest, and that decreases each day by realized and unrealized capital losses, taxes, and fees. The worth of a variable annuity contract owner's account is the number of accumulation units owned in each fund multiplied by the accumulation unit value of each fund as of the most recent valuation date (typically daily).
For variable annuities, “annuity units” are the measure of value during the distribution phase. “Annuity units” work very much like accumulation units, with one exception. Annuity units have built into them an “assumed interest rate (AIR)”—such as 3%, 4%, or 5%—at which a fund is assumed to grow annually in value. Thus, if a fund with a 5% AIR actually grew at 5% during a year, the annuity unit value for that fund would remain unchanged. To the extent the fund performance exceeds 5% AIR, annuity unit value increases. To the extent fund performance falls short of 5% AIR, annuity unit value decreases. Since the monthly benefit payment to the annuitant is the number of annuity units payable times the annuity unit value, fund performance in excess of the AIR causes the monthly annuity benefit payments to increase. Fund performance less than the AIR causes the monthly annuity benefit payments to decrease.
The table and graph of FIG. 2 illustrate the growth of accumulation unit value and annuity unit value, assuming a 9% gross investment return and a 5% AIR in the annuity unit value, for 15 contract years.
Variable annuity benefit options of sufficiently long duration have historically provided an inflation hedge to retirees superior to that available under fixed annuities.
Annuitants may be apprehensive about electing a variable annuity benefit option, even when it may be in their best long-term interest, due to the fact that the dollar amount of such benefit payments could theoretically decrease to zero. Because of this uncertainty relating to benefits under a variable annuity, there is clearly value with regard to the insurer providing a minimum benefit. To date, these programs simply have the insurer making up any differences between the actual minimum benefit payment and the benefit payment the annuitant would have received in the absence of such a program. There is no impact on future benefits. Such a guarantee is inherently expensive. What is described below are new features for variable annuity products. What is also described are automated methods and systems for implementing and administering such products in a more efficient—that is, less expensive way. This cost reduction efficiency may come, for example, by way of reducing future benefits whenever the insurer makes up a shortfall, as well as by other means described below.
While annuitization guarantees lifetime income, the contract holder loses liquidity (and, depending on the type of annuity, some or all of the death benefit implied by full liquidity). During the accumulation phase, the contract holder has full access to the account value. After annuitization, the contract holder cannot withdraw account value in excess of that provided in monthly payments, and the death benefit available is either zero or limited in some way (e.g. paid only as a continuation of payments throughout the certain period). Because of this loss of liquidity and reduced (or non-existent) death benefit, many contract holders wanting periodic income choose not to annuitize. Instead, they make systematic withdrawals from their annuity while maintaining it in its active, or accumulation, phase.
Systematic withdrawal programs from active, unannuitized deferred annuity contracts are an alternative mechanism (i.e., an alternative to annuitization) for distributing retirement income to contract holders. While these programs provide full liquidity, that liquidity requires some tradeoffs. For example, if withdrawals are set at a specified dollar level, then these distributions can fully deplete the account value. In other words, the contract holder can outlive the retirement income provided by this method of systematic withdrawal. Alternatively, if withdrawals are set as a percent of account value, then the period of distribution may be extended indefinitely, but a meaningful level of monthly retirement income may not be achieved. For example, if the percentage chosen is too high, the bulk of the account value will be distributed in the early years, leaving a much smaller account value base against which the same percentage will be applied, resulting in inconsequential monthly retirement income payments. Systematic withdrawal programs may also be applied to mutual funds, which aside from differences in taxation and asset charges, are very similar to the accumulation phase of variable annuities.